Readings and Themes for the Week of June 20, 2010

Readings for Faith Sharing
Week of June 20, 2010,
Twelfth Sunday

Reading I Zechariah 12:10-11, 13:1

He was pierced for our sins.

Psalm 63

“My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God”.

Reading II Galatians 3:26-29

We are children of God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel Luke 9:18-24

Take up the cross.

THEME:

Filled with the Holy Spirit, John the Baptist spread the good news of Jesus

We take up again the Sunday-by-Sunday reading through the Gospel according to Luke that was interrupted by Lent and Eastertime. We find ourselves at a great crescendo in the Gospel as Peter identifies Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus throws cold water on this declaration of faith by reminding the disciples about the Messiah’s sorrowful fate. And the followers of the Messiah must share this fate.

Questions of the week

Question for Children:

How can you follow the example of John the Baptist and tell others about Jesus this week?

Question for Youth:

John the Baptist was sent ahead to prepare people for Jesus’ message.

How does your life, including your words and actions, help others to know what it means to be a follower of Jesus?

Question for Adults:

What can you do this week to spread the good news about Jesus?

Bulletin Bites
"But who do you say I am?"

Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am”? They respond with several names or possibilities. Then Jesus asked, “But who you say that I am”? Now the question is personal. To answer they must reveal what is in their heart and head.

Peter said, “You are the Messiah of God”. That took great faith and courage.

The implications were enormous: Jesus wastes no time in bluntly telling them that the “Son of Man” was going to suffer, be rejected by the authorities: killed and rise on the third day.” Jesus leaves nothing to the imagination. Then he adds what his closest friends were most afraid to hear:

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me”. We may be relieved that we were not present with Jesus two thousand years ago. But Jesus is present with us today—in the Eucharist, in His Church. He asks each of us, “Who do you say that I am”?

How do you answer him? Are we willing to accept the consequences?